hi I'm fighting for him I am here to
talk to you today about core poor is the
new name for bank for the Bethel area
non-profit collaborative core is a
nonprofit organization that unites
member organizations and local citizens
to cultivate an engaged and thriving
community through community-wide
initiative score delivers resources
programming network events and
mentorship opportunities that bring
businesses and people together to build
a thriving and inspired community
first of all thank you now managers for
the Writing Center we shave that thanks
so much
my name is Amy Scott I'm the director of
core and your facilitator at this
meeting everyone should hand out extra
place starting with the agenda to go
over our meeting objectives and our
reading agreements and before we do that
I just want to make sure can everyone
hear me okay good if anyone needs better
sound you doesn't speak up just go like
this or this or something indicate that
please speak up so to make sure that
everybody can hear each other and also
please feel free to get up and any time
and get yourself some more food there's
some cookies over there and drink and
help yourself don't be shy about getting
up them so our meeting tonight is
focused on these objectives which are at
the top of your agenda just gonna read
through them and make sure that
everybody's clear on why we're here
let's do it that's fine yeah let's do
that first so let's just go around the
room well hi everyone I'm Peter
something about words mr. bevel it's
extremely warm is Lily
reading look in Kevin freezing I'm
Jordan look Steve I'm not wire from
Newberry Jim lackeys from here hurry
swing from the next field would stop
running Deegan down Gustav shonkoff it's
good start
okay Virgil tinkoff right from URI Gary
white Gary thank you Thanks
so our objectives the first one is to
share the process and information and
some of the outcomes from something
called the community destination Academy
and the summit with all of you some of
you were there you view or not up to
speed
we're gonna discuss some of the priority
action items that came out of that okay
this that process we are going to arrive
at some kind of agreement among the four
boards on how to move forward we'll
discuss ways that the floor towns can
and maybe should work together and we're
gonna have arrived at a shared
understanding of the support that's
available through the community
destination Academy leadership team
going forward we're gonna discuss the
role of municipalities in this process
and agree on next steps so any questions
or clarifications about the objectives
of our two hours together and we're
gonna eat you and so we can do
introductions over here Brooks Morton
what TV so we're being recorded that we
had one more what CV Oh does it need to
go around silence she just pass it
around make sure everybody signs it so
yes we're being recorded both by what TV
and Sam wheeler also has a recorder
going
for the recording and so also on your
agenda are a few muting agreements these
are super basic agreements that we would
all like to have on how we're gonna work
together tonight flower while we're here
first one is bring a stamp I rode out of
the weeds but the kind of work that all
of you do it's really easy to very
quickly talk about details and for
purposes of meeting these objectives
tonight we need to try to stay out of
the super weedy details
they'll come later
today is a starting point we are not
need to agree that we're not going to
solve all of our issues and today in two
hours and one person speaks at a time we
want to make sure that all views are
turd including after tonight so we are
going to be talking about how we will be
sure to keep them touch and allow for
feedback after sometimes you might hear
something or something you need a little
while to process it we want to share
that information and feedback can come
in even after tonight you might not be
ready to say what everyone say tonight
so any questions on those agreements or
great so quickly on the handouts so you
have that I've included in here that's
for membership form I have invited
throughout the years formally through
the Bethel area nonprofit collaborative
which is now for invited all of the
towns to become a member of these
organizations I want to make sure that
you have an information
front of you and know that you are
invited to join 425 this is a little bit
more a little bit more fleshed out and a
specific membership that's now than we
did as the Bethel area nonprofit
collaborative the next handout everyone
should have it has a heart in school
logo on top but don't think this is new
to everyone but I'm pretty important
that I want to make sure that everybody
had this in hands for reference both
tonight and going forward these are the
value statements that came out of that
for town and regional process but this
came out of the hundreds of interviews
and different kinds of engagements that
came in through that process and this
sort of distilled what people in your
four towns and then the surrounding
townships value the most and the larger
heart installed handout is a pretty well
updated list of action items that also
came out of the miss apart and sole
process and this is this is just to let
you know that there is movement
happening on a lot of these action items
and this community destination Academy
is being very intentional about
referencing and incorporating these
action items and the value statements in
that process in order to build on a lot
of work that has already been done and
certainly not just start over so you can
look through this at your leisure if you
have questions or comments or feedback
about any of these things the board
membership or any of the heart and soul
please feel free to contact me and
can discuss it or into your questions
about this and again this is a point in
time this is sort of updated right now a
month from now six months from now it's
gonna be you know changed again this
action will have happened some of them
completed some all have you know evolved
into something else and then we all
should have two more handouts that you
were going to be part of the
presentation around a few minutes I just
want to make sure everybody has two more
besides that great well I'm going to
turn on this projector you actually
before I do that let me just see a show
of hands how many people are at the
community destination Academy summit
most people right not a lot of you work
okay great
and the for town managers also and some
of you also participated in the Academy
portion of that which happened back in
the fall it was three three full days
and then that summit was just a tough
one needs to go was the sort of public
rollout of what happens during that
Academy so I'm just gonna back up and
give a very brief overview of what this
process was to make sure everybody's on
the same page and understanding what it
is and how that ended up prompting this
meeting tonight I'm going to share a
little bit of the information that was
shared throughout that process but by no
means all of it because we'd be here
till tomorrow that if you want more
information or have more questions or
want to see more of the data and the
beach
all of it is available to you you can
just ask your account manager or ask me
and we can share some of that
information I just want to make that
clear this is like the the quick
overview so I'll turn this so the
community destination Academy was
brought to Bethel through a partnership
with the main office of tourism the
northern forest Center the Maine woods
consortium and the local partner was the
Bethel Chamber Future IQ is a consulting
company that was brought in to help
provide a lot of the data and
information to facilitate the whole the
whole process but that's excuse me but
those are the partners that brought it
to this community it's also been done
and Rangeley and I believe in the
Moosehead region so far I think those
are the only three places in Maine to
date so the whole idea is to provide
information on what is impacting tourism
what kind of trends are affecting
tourism in our region and provide that
information and then provide a structure
for helping the communities to determine
what to do with that information going
forward the overall idea of it is to
sort of help communities develop a
sustainable tourism and recreation
economy so that's the idea is to is to
really provide the tools and the
information for that sustainability
element so the data uh you know what are
the emerging on macro drivers as it says
there you know the data shows that
tourism is going to increase given
what's happening globally and where
populations are moving and the kinds of
stressors that are on people living in
cities so this looks like kind of a
gobbledygook picture but what this is
indicating is that most of the world's
population is living in urban areas and
as of these numbers are projected for
2050 and the you know the indications
are that way more people are living in
dense places than in rural places which
puts an increased stress on those rural
places this slide is showing the growth
and consumer spending so you can see the
inner circles of each pieces of those
pie each each of the pie slices that's
showing 2009 data and trillions and then
the outer ring is projecting a data from
2030 also in trillions so you can kind
of see where in the world people are
going to have more expendable income to
do things like travel and go visit
places escape these are just two too
many slides and data sets that were
shared as part of the whole destination
Academy and some at the summit and
simply to paint the picture of what we
should anticipate seeing in our future
here in this region the message that we
heard
was it's happening whether we like it or
not so we can either kind of get ahead
of it and anticipate it happening and
control how it happens or not it's
really our own decision as a community
so the question really you know does do
all of this information and all of these
data points and these trends mean that
there will be increased pressure on an
area like ours and the answer was yes
and so again it's really just up to the
community to decide what to do with that
another question we are posed with so is
there any such thing as actual can
tourism ever be sustainable is it
possible to do that this is an example
of a place the Great Wall of China where
it does not appear to be all that
sustainable with a number of people who
are visiting one place and putting that
much stress and pressure on one place at
a time that's just it's just an example
but the you know that's really the crux
of the issue you know can even with
increased number of people coming or
anticipating that more people coming you
know can can that result in something
that is good for this community and
actually sustainable so before I go to
the next part dude does anyone who has
been that any of these pieces want to
add anything or clarify anything up to
here I think it was comforting to know
that when the question was asked stories
on the increase it was yes but there are
different ways that you can deal with
suggesting one one way is to bring the
same number of people and have them
leave more money
yeah sure
good
okay so leading up to the summit and
then after the summit which we'll get to
that in a minute but a survey was put
out to anyone who'd been a part of this
saying overall how important do you
think tourism is to the future of the
Bethel area in this just shows that
pretty much everyone thought it was very
important or extremely important so just
sort of proving that locally there is
that interest in in tourism as a part of
the local economy so back to this
concept of sustainable tourism and what
does that mean so this slide is really
pulling that apart and defining what do
we mean by sustainable tourism so the
first bullet oh I can just go ahead and
read these but the first bullet is its
integrated with our local communities in
a way that is respectful of our diverse
heritage and culture provides visitors
with authentic place-based educational
experiences that leave them feeling
enriched and inspired creates lasting
financial and social benefits for local
residents businesses and communities
across our areas area is supported by
public policies with organizational
support and funding and maintains or
contributes to the health and vibrancy
of our natural environment so this is
kind of the point you know to aim to
fulfill this definition in our local
area again referring to the survey
people were asked how important do you
think each of those pieces that I just
read each of those bullets is to the
Bethel area so on
each of those bullets that I just read
and as you can see pretty much all of
them are rated at ten which is
critically important people feel about
it so really you know just bringing more
people are just making more money it's
not enough people want to see that the
tourism is putting a lot of benefit back
into the community back in the people
not just you are visiting but who
actually live here and that is a viable
place to live to go to school to work
and to be raise a family so the next
piece of the or another piece of the
destination Academy was to develop some
strategic pillars of you know what what
how this work is going to happen here
I'm actually gonna skip that one so
these these five pillars are the four
elements you know sort of take that
definition of sustainable tourism and
pull it out into well what do we have to
do to actually fulfill that need to
focus on workforce tourism workforce and
housing development regional
collaboration convenient communication
and leadership just part of what we're
doing here convening create community
engagement and buy-in create and refine
compelling unique visitor experiences
that's part of the strategy Steve was
referring to getting more dollars out of
each visitor who comes and take a green
and environmentally responsible approach
to the whole thing again coming back to
the insuring that is sustainable to the
to the environment here as well so for
each of these pillars for those of you
who are at the
sumit each pillar had a flipchart
created that looked like this so had the
pillar at the top the description of its
importance and then some of the ideas
that came out of the discussions at the
destination Academy it also had some of
the ideas from the heart and soul action
plan that fit in this category so
they're already up there then it had
space for people to add their ideas and
add what they were thinking as these
were big flip charts like this size on
the wall and each of the five areas had
their own flip chart so at the academy
people went around wrote reviewed it all
wrote their own ideas there were lots of
hand written ideas added he said this
list and then after doing that everybody
was given five stars and was asked to
vote for their top priority actions and
ideas so your other one of your handouts
that looks like this this is showing you
two or three so for each of these
pillars these are the top two or three
action ideas so we went around and
counted each individual star for each
action idea and these are the top ones
too much so we'll just give you a minute
to look at that so you get a sense of
what did the hundred people who were at
the summit have to say about what ideas
they think needs to be implemented first
their highest priority items and under
regional collaboration convening
communication and leadership you'll see
a couple things that relate to the four
towns and then of course there's all
kinds of other stuff and the other
pieces
so this is just the same slide that you
have in front of you you can read it
better on your paper then that's life
so before we go any further
does anybody have questions things they
want to add and clarifications and
anyone who was part of that process of
the Academy followed by the summit that
I missed out leave out anything big that
you'd like to point out oh yeah looking
this over I thought it was interesting
when I take a look at this and one of
you talk projects was created formal
housing options rent to us on a ship a
boat which is great but nowhere on this
do I see transportation infrastructure
to support that from towns town
sometimes individuals want to go ahead
and stay near woods or whatever yeah we
need to take a look at expanding that
transportation construction yeah so they
can leave a cowboy hat and no bosses
wouldn't be there thick amount of time
that would get added to the list again
of the Congress notion that since most
the quarter we come from themselves
Woodstock is really the gateway to
[Laughter]
so I kind of look at the paper listen to
and hear Bethel when you say other towns
I think this is all great and I think it
should be a little different you know
like the music region did you get Oxford
Hills eight times one community so I
mean whatever we move forward and we
take back to our towns to sell it I
think you'd find a lot more teamwork and
a lot more cohesion most everybody if it
was different
maxime definitely great the Bethel area
but it's one out of four yep so you got
to find something that glues the floor
together Main Street and Main Street
over the years we continually look for a
term that we would say that remember
we're talking about whose area -
somebody said well here you are your
Cambridge Massachusetts for the weekend
you tell another word for it - I think
you might say we're going to spend the
weekend in the Oxford Hills region and I
just think for you
local support really to have it if it
was just example the Moosic region for
towns one community or however you want
word it if you want steal a role from
Occidental whatever I just think it
would foster your local support they
should bring this forward into your town
because yeah if I bring a small into
town in assist Ethel I know how my town
people and it's not necessarily for the
outside so that's a really good segue
honestly to the next piece of the agenda
which is to just make sure everybody
understands the process going forward
three minute on what we're gonna call
for where it's going forward is a great
thing to call attention to that's that's
really important so right now that team
that I mentioned that brought this
resource to the community the northern
forest Center made Office of Tourism in
that group they're gonna continue
supporting this process for a period of
time you know they can they can help
manage and support this work along with
a local leadership team which is made up
of people who were willing to raise
their hand and say I'll be on the
leadership team so the town managers are
on that team and some other folks and
that is the group that is going to for
the time being sort of continue to
oversee this process going forward the
idea is that with these projects and
these pillars that that there would be
some sort of form of organization all
working group or action group or
something for each of the pillars to
keep the development of the work
of those projects moving forward and
that the the leadership team will help
figure out and find the resources to
support whatever that is so whether it
be looking for you know grant funding or
federal funding or whatever to support
some of these projects that's part of
what will happen through that do that to
me so it's it's not like you're just
being pushed out and saying or but there
are there are some organizations putting
resources into this so those there
should be some follow up fairly soon I
think on what those working groups are
gonna look like I I don't think they're
all gonna be the same I think it was up
to the sort of pillar leaders in each of
these areas to determine well we're
gonna have a meeting and then we'll
figure out performing that committee or
what we're doing so stay tuned for the
outcomes they're most familiar
necessarily set in stone now others good
your honor right yeah yep
so the question you know I'm looking at
this under the regional collaboration
pillar one of the top ideas that got on
those stars was that the fort house
developed five to ten year plan together
covering economic development
infrastructure which would include
transportation infrastructure
I would think tourism brands and local
needs etc there were more things that
were in there so that was one of the
ideas that people felt was really
important part of what prompted this
meeting and the rest of our time
together is really to explore what this
could mean what things could in what way
could the four boards work together what
value
there might be in that and also
discussing you know if there's agreement
that you know what there are some pieces
here that really we should begin on
together then we can discuss what is the
role of the municipality in certain
projects in a process like this so at
this point I would open it up if there
aren't further questions or
clarifications that any of the top
managers want to add in some game on
that leadership team thank you for
raising your hands then we can and I
just want to add before we sorry before
we do that I just I forgot to mention at
the beginning that I have these flip
charts up so that we can capture any
concerns you might have as we go through
this discussion that we're not
necessarily gonna address tonight any a
other ideas it can certainly put up the
transportation infrastructure idea on
the list ideas about who else needs to
be involved so these charts are here to
capture things that we don't aren't
necessarily gonna die then Susan flee
tonight but we'll need to at some point
I could turn this off this function is
not available cuz that's the on button
okay tonight could be a very key meaning
at least that's what's going through my
mind it we've all in our own challenges
worked alone so long you know cubicles
that it's gonna be hard to try and work
together I think it's talent but I think
we do if we want our area just stay the
same we've got to work together if we
want it to change any we've got to work
together
and I I guess that's how I see it
look the boys are selectmen of keep
people in the areas as far as individual
towns and setting the pace for their own
towns and if we can get along and get
together then we can do something I
don't think it's not going to work if we
don't have more than one meaning I think
we've got to set some goals through the
leadership team and then bring the full
board back together again at some point
in a few months after we get our feet
under us to see what we're going to do
but it's not gonna be easy but I think
it's going to be worth it if we can work
together I think there's a lot we could
do mmm
we could work together in ways with
solid waste and recreation then those
type of things
instead of going is to seek from wounded
together that must be my neighbor over
there that's why the road became the
queen and that road came through the
valley and you know things started
growing up we did that he used to be
that you speckle had nothing to do with
battle and I'm sure stuff would suck I'd
nothing
on all that and all over it but we were
we were first individual houses that we
were neighborhoods scattered and then we
were towns or pieces of towns but right
now it's really looks as though it's
it's economically viable for us to think
about how we could not necessarily give
up our identity look and see if there
are ways that that we can collaborate
benefit versus we have our roads some
don't follow the timelines and some
people may have to drive through
Greenwood to get to the Bethel dump
maybe read lips I mean we can't agree
that it was all you know we were all
together we just had two different
locations
there are ways that's one of the few
places that we work together through the
years is through the school setting and
I think this is a unique place to start
a new group to talk to me in the first
is right some fifty years ago whenever
six years ago my talk about someone
figure out I guess we'll just you know
isn't isn't unprecedented and it
certainly came you down the other thing
you think about town business and what
towns do we're got infrastructure roads
fire ambulance you know what what is it
that we as a town needed and then it
said you know you you can't get from
website I do it to the other block on
from Bethel you know this we just
connected a long way yeah but I would I
would ask people visitor
sit back they got infrastructure it just
talks about marketing and promotions and
rain
and you know so that stuff I don't know
that that's count business yeah that's
that's you know there are sitting that's
chamber business and you know you gather
people from all around to make the
chamber that and how I certainly support
example that's as a baby we do you know
we bury people we've borrowed we had
someplace where the trash gotta go get
kids right and that's what things are
gonna do there's also social fabric that
it's right now mostly more than the
wingless there's nothing but preview of
the town so it's all taken up by my
nonprofits but somehow I find
collaboration among the towns in
creative social structure along this
bill deuterostomes I think the
collaboration piece is huge I think we
absolutely need collaborate you know
think that I think it's we need to focus
on if it's roads when I focus on this
focus on that if it's here let's get one
thing done get our arms wrapped around I
feel good about that and then move to
the accident love this sale if he isn't
now somebody sitting someplace going
well they figured out 50 years ago more
or less yeah right yeah and that's gonna
go on forever
wait no no that that the wreck right
yeah the wreck that the teams are now
more regionalized
just because
make more sense instead of having five
kids on the battle team five kids on
green routine five kids Underwood's I
can it makes sense to put them together
make more teams of more kids can
graduate that was a fairly recent time
right talk about the rec department
keeping all right that feel that goes
back to the infrastructure right if I
look at the big picture here if we're
going to actually be able to accept the
influence of tourism then we got a style
I believe with infrastructure first
that's the foundation so for instance
how is it and we can go ahead and take a
look at as I say transportation
infrastructure do we want more cars on
roads where it's gonna cost us more
money to go ahead and actually fix those
wrongs more often and building the
budget but do we build an infrastructure
transportation infrastructure that is a
bus infrastructure in the towns it takes
some of that load off our roads the
other thing you're looking at is is that
we can collaborate let's take for
instance fuel okay if we collaborate and
save money and fuel that money you just
take a look at things that you want to
do to support the tourism those are the
things that I you know as far as Senator
I think the sky's the limit pull our
resources bid those resources save us
money that we can put that money
someplace else
towards what we want to do tourism
infrastructure our fuel needs reach by
will be big enough when we get together
is going to change the price well right
if I may we would have to add a gallons
up on an average what we actually burn
every year take a look take at whatever
that is okay at that time of cost
Rach price I'm going to throw this on
the table because my boss is sitting on
the
aside could be a possibility didn't we
throw in our gals I've burned about
33,000 gallons Anita that's pretty
pretty about that ad in IRA speed that
out see what we get for bid and of
course we'd have to take a look whether
it's petal dump of tanker dump that's
that's nothing in locations so the
answer your question is I don't know
until recently like gallons right and
take a look at that it's an exercise
sorry see if they wanted to get in and
what just depends on gallon inch and how
much you need full dumps versus petal
dumps and so on but yeah I mean schools
we'd be happy to jump in without - any
way that we can support what you're
trying to do
I think that's they mentioned you did
that 50 years ago we have a school board
that's made up of representatives from
each one of your towns that work
together on a regular basis so anything
we can do to help absolutely that's why
I'm here
and the needs the workforce needs that
have been integrated with the mountain
Explorer and the amount of fuel that the
mountain explorers burn as well I do
think that there has been obviously were
we're a regional age friendly community
right I mean we've got four town
agreement about the aged on the
community initiative and you're talking
about transportation that is a huge
issue with our seniors and you know it
really is so integrally linked you know
transportation for students that don't
have cars transportation for the elderly
who either don't have cars or don't want
cars or to get the you know to get cars
off the road so that
you know have the congestion problems
that many other destinations experience
I mean we do on busy weekends you know
and that's what we actually do have to
stop the stop signs for more than five
seconds
you know because there are cars and
their flux from Massachusetts in New
York and everybody else and we're gonna
see that continue to increase so that
would be a really wonderful thought
process about how can we you know leads
to kind of a sustainability conversation
to you know investing in vehicles in the
future that are more energy efficient
and carbon footprints and whole nine
yards
it's exciting to do that sokka's bill
this solar farm it's the kind of thing
that we continue to do so others who
haven't spoken up yet does anyone want
to chime in just generally what you're
thinking now in terms of there's
probably ways we should be working
together or not sure yet or just kind of
so we get a sense of sense of the room
on it we've heard some comments in favor
of where there's gonna be some areas
that you could really dig into together
but others one of the things that I saw
and then I think about when I when I see
this group and one of the reasons I
think it's really interesting to work
together is even in it needs discussions
things have come up that really I hadn't
thought about very much and you know
there's there's a there's a whole bunch
of us from this region and then who have
all bought a lot about their area in
their town and they've learned a lot
there's a lot of experience and a lot of
leadership here
in Bethel there's only five of us and we
have our five opinions and that's that's
what we have but when you start
expanding a group to people more people
who are also leaders in you can from
this area it just brings a whole lot of
a lot more ideas a lot more sort of
historical experience and how you have
cans of come up with solutions for
things and I think that's a pretty
interesting exciting way to to make
improvements for everybody and it just
seems like there's a lot of you know
just experience and knowledge here that
could benefit all the whole region it
doesn't need to just stay in one down an
interesting comment Sunday one woman
mentioned why do you want more people
one of one of the things that would be
interesting to try to think about I'm
gonna say we're all in this business
together whether whether you work at a
hotel or a restaurant or gas station
we're gonna tackle the big foundations
you're working to build something and if
it's coordinated we're building a
vacation community so we're all in
everybody everybody gets a piece of
first dollar we may not want more people
but they're going to come anyway is it
something that I heard it the summit
Hannaford I guess has looked at putting
a big store here and said we don't have
the continuous year-round base that
support one but eventually probably will
I think I would agree the message was
people are gonna come whether we want it
or not
do we want to have some control over who
to try to get here and what things will
be like when they get here
and also if done right with all of those
bullets that define sustainable tourism
there are benefits back to the community
to the people shopping at the grocery
store going to using the school's
driving on the roads there's benefit to
the community if done with thought and
planning so that's I mean I understand
that argument but again it's it's
happening trains coming what are we
gonna do about it how do we take
advantage of it honestly how do you take
advantage of it in a way that it's gonna
be really helpful to each of these
communities
Steve well just like this you know we
have the you can point at for instance
set Falls which we all knew us a secret
place that might mark that we think you
do sunny sunny summer afternoon and all
of a sudden that was they can bounty
stand here and there and on the internet
and everything now there's five cars up
there in July we don't want that we
don't we don't want to ruin the place by
bringing out more people and both both
the destination Academy work and heart
and soul work the fine people say we
still want to walkable community we want
to come on what a nice downtown set up a
little bit more variety but we don't
blow it out get to the point where
there's no place the parking
nobody want to sit home because it's not
what you used to be Oh be enough in the
post office where Trevor Pope's office
it is and see all the people you need to
see you mentioned step on it don't you
step off this letter as Frenchman yeah
it won't be put back up there creates
unsafe places I just I was just thinking
I was touching on the infrastructure
yeah I think I really think we all ought
to get together in what I want
I'd like to see numbers you know anyone
like winter saying you're buying bulk of
ended up you know I don't know anybody
else pays I know we're paying you know
we got a pretty good deal same thing
with paid you know you orchestrated
aving all at the same time and put it
into one package which we all get a
better deal on painting so I go along
with like the oil some of the general
things I mean if we crunch some numbers
I'd like to do that so I mean just bring
it all the table just to see what
everybody's paying and there's no secret
others do haven't shared yet a couple
comments that I've had was I thought the
create affordable housing bread and one
fuck yeah we do here but their comment
was who said the land and who was going
to do it you know the talents can't
afford to do it people are looking for
tax incentives to come to the challenge
people are always complaining about
streets are cleaned up quick enough
okay I'm gonna remember it all comes
many tax dollars it all comes down to
money on timing when so happens I'm on
guys you got to clean them up and and
they don't want to Jackson so up but
they want all this stop and that's you
know that's what you got selfie in two
people
the affordable housing thing and what
what I've seen happen a lot recently is
that apartments that used to be
available for local residents or for
people that came here for the winter and
work at the mountain are now people are
realizing they can spruce up just a
little bit more and everybody them or
rent them by the season for one big lump
sum that somebody from Boston that's
gone off on a few weekends and there's
not an incentive I don't know what that
is and it would be aware it would come
from I mean we made a decision when we
put department in our house that we were
going to rent it to your regular people
that work here and we could probably get
you know half again as much as somebody
needs to come up with some way that
there's an incentive for that and I
don't know what what that is there are
lots of apartments available we did try
to get some folks to the summit who have
interests potentially in affordable
housing people who have invested in
portable housing and so it is really not
out of reach I think it's a matter of
sitting down and and you know trying to
gather up those folks and you know some
of the employers that need places for
their focus to live and it's been done
in other places that's the thing a lot
of this a lot of what we've talked about
at the summit and destination Academy we
can look at other communities that
aren't the exact same enough as us but
that are have had similar problems and
have tackled them through
you know a variety of innovative
approaches and that's kind of you know
where we're at is that it can't just be
the business community I think the
municipal municipal leaders have a role
in looking at the future and across the
spectrum of needs of people and I think
it's an exciting opportunity for us to
think in innovative ways together and
that's the whole purpose stuff really
that was a huge driver of having the CDA
in the first place is that it provided a
platform in which to have these
conversations and and you know having
David come from future IQ where he has
worked with communities around the
country and in some cases around the
world who have similar problems and
challenges that's me and so you know
it's just a matter of you know I think
we've talked about you know we're gonna
have to walk before we run and some of
this won't be realized for a couple of
years or a few years or five years even
ten but the only time to really start
it's now and it's really great that
you're all together just even thinking
that you know maybe there are some wins
that you guys can score as towns some
savings that you might be able to
realize by working together that you can
then invest in other things that you
really have that have been out of your
reach
before we get started into well how
right you know how do we do this you
know do we sit down like this once a
week for the next six months
[Laughter]
is there anyone who's still feeling like
or has hesitations that haven't been
shared yet you know could sweets I think
we haven't really gotten into sort of
writing up all the challenges we
certainly know there are logistical
challenges and the reality of what I
just said
you know how do you start sitting down
together that kind of thing but are
there other challenges or concerns that
that we haven't heard yet my thought
that would get away from a voting body
have we put some meat to it you know so
the possibilities are endless right we
do anything which is great so what we
have to do you know I think we need to
you know and great point in the agenda
without us all this time but I think
what we need to do next is decide you
know we know all these great things we
can do what we gotta do besides it's not
now on that list and say what's
reasonable it's not feasible
we will walk away tonight go a little
have a song back next week finish
shopping but I think we just we really
focus on means it's the other leads
what's our what we got where's everybody
in the room we should we should use this
up
one of the attacks at least is we need
to get buy-in from convinced people who
are Silla wishin that was 1950 we can
still have what we have but I guess what
humans sang a way to get buy-in from
your communities is to have a concrete
project that people agree on that
leadership wants to support and gives
good reasons why it's important to
support that the people who live here
love this place
they want to see it in the way that they
remember it and protect that for their
future generations who they hope will
stay here so if you show the people some
ways to maybe make that happen by
working together I mean you can champion
that in your own towns and communities
it's just deciding what that thing will
be that's up to you
there is it for me sitting here what's
this all hanging fruit something that we
can start something that the people
could buy in I use the analogy that you
walk up to the front door this high
school if it's a handprint on that
window it could be the cleanest building
in the world you could eat off the
floors but they'll always remember that
handprint on that window that's the
first impression they see when they walk
in so how do we make that first
impression for those people we stop
collaborating on bidding implying let's
see how that goes they can see that us
boards are working together
collaboratively to save some money to
put someplace else that's something they
can get their teeth into it and really
understand that that's what hanging
fruit
for me sitting here and I don't know if
people will see that as much as we would
because we've had sivanandi that I think
we need to do something then everybody
sees a little hanging fruit to me like
right now it has a value
where's going we watched it all adds up
we all have places we go throw us off
it's almost are already together but is
there any reason why these two things
right you pick one small thing doesn't
matter who you are
everyone complains abundant thing as
simple as it may be I think you have to
nail on head because then you stop
people hey then you can work on you know
I think an important thing is that model
to build that spree decor that that
feeling of being but I like that because
that would lead to that because now
that's like a simple it's net1 there's
Babies axon and right hand with you I
think the great seesaw it's
I don't know that I don't know that
together we're big enough to get
interest to explore them it would be
very innocent to explore and and we're
not big enough but all of a sudden us
and somebody calls Robert there's one of
the end oh you say that much bigger you
know I mean it's it's not like there's a
you know a line that says you can't
process all right and we can actually
sit there and take a look at that maybe
one shoe doesn't fit all
yeah okay but it'd be nice to go ahead
and set and crunch that take a look if
if that shoe dusted they're all in that
category you know and they they want but
they're put in one place or they know
that you do 20 miles road and said I'm
here at move 20 miles make sense yeah it
does I also want to come back to your
point about with some of the cost
savings then you know that's that's
where you can then start to get kind of
creative about mode you put that tours
that has to do with you know these
larger ideas so right that's the
low-hanging fruit you can start working
on these projects get some get some
through purchasing but then if there is
savings what do you do with the money
how does that help what's to come
forward but in the process of doing that
as four pounds you could begin to get
that practice of what is this like to
work together you know how do we make
decisions what is you know how does how
does this actually work and kind of get
that success happening and you know work
out the kinks so you wouldn't have to
decide right away before you start you
know start with tax language that said
well see puzzle we're working together
we were able to save so much money
putting the taxes to zero or not raising
that
or you're putting it towards some really
cool thing so I I just want to point out
again on this page the again I think
this is great to talk about where can
you start you need a starting point you
gotta walk before you run all that stuff
totally understand and agree on that
walk but one of the things that is got a
lot of stars and we shouldn't ignore on
the paper here is this whole idea of
developing a four town plan together on
the ongoing you know low-hanging fruit
ideas and what are you know what are
some possible goals to work towards as a
community of music region and yeah about
those there's any appetite for that idea
because it would take it would take the
practice of trying some things together
first it would take some research it
would take some resources you know to
even get there but is there an appetite
for that and you know could you see
benefits to putting that out in front of
the community you know ahead of the
rising curve of Taurus and I just want
to mention too that sort of in between
now and whatever the next time you
gather you know there's research to do
crunch numbers there there may be some
stories like Robin was talking about of
other communities perhaps that you could
just sort of look at to see what kind of
success
their communities have had theirs we
also could certainly put together some
resources on you know well what do
regional plans look like anyway has
anybody done it well or you know are
there any successes of that and do some
research around that too so that you can
kind of understand you know the people
think it's a good idea is it really a
good idea
are there good examples of it is it
worth exploring just so you can begin to
be thinking about that and have some
information in front of you to work with
instead of just a concept maybe it's a
question for each of the individual on
what basis are you operating now like
what what is the date of your most
recent plan comprehensive plan what you
know comprehensive plans started going
out of style what ten years ago so I'm
just kind of curious what what do you
each individually as town managers and
boards of Selectmen use as you're
guiding what plans for the coming like 1
to 5 years or is there one burns you
have one at you that yes I caught me as
a blenders that in 2003 I thought you
know we have maps develop maps and I'll
let the arrow is built off of the
conference plan so it hasn't been my
guess is if we didn't change its in 1882
yet but if you started and you know if
you went really saw it through the frame
of your town as part of a larger region
that's being affected by
he's outside horses knowing that we know
now having been through the CVA the data
was first on 1996-97 rotation committees
which I think and so a really really
good thing about the CDA one of the many
really great things is that those of you
who were at the definition cavity we had
commonly ten interested parties from the
state they're from the different
departments DFT decd where the you know
any any bit of planning that's being
done is living right Community
Development Block Grants and such and
such plans remain future was there so
anyway there were there a really great
group of people that were watching with
tremendous interest what we were doing
and I think that we have earned their
respect and their support and by acting
together you know in terms of planning
for our collective future I think that
we would be surprised that the resources
that might be available to us to to
actually really you know we look at
ourselves as towns as part of a bigger
unit you know I know in Woodstock and
because I lived in West Paris for a few
years that there are people that
probably live in South Woodstock who
hardly ever come to Bethel you know if
they're not involved in the tourism
industry they're probably doing their
work they probably work in the officer
hills or the Lewiston or something
further south and so that would be
making a little bit of an outlier but
generally speaking even though there are
people that live in each of our four
towns to do work out of town
but you know we do have a regional
economy here that is growing and
changing and putting pressures on each
of our town so that I think it I'm
hoping that you agree that it deserves a
solid consideration talk you through if
there's anybody here that's really not
into it yet you know give it some time I
was strongly encouraged to go I
discovered it
I think too way too often we get in our
own little rut and work and nobody else
is around we don't have a vision for the
future and I think I have a little bit
more of one now website statement 15
2015 assets values and character
resilient community which will build on
a strong village center full of seeds
and recreational activities beautiful
natural resource and of course
an entrepreneur spirit while maintaining
its friendly and inclusive rural
character needs for the future the town
recognizes that the need to expand
educational and employment opportunities
affordable housing for service workers
and supportive service Joyce's bussiness
while maintaining good public service
there there was a there was a little and
I think you guys weren't there then but
there was a little there was a period of
time when there was some action
happening to update the plan never
finished right so so that probably came
out of that
the state's top resources so I just want
to add in a comment from being a part of
the Academy and from obviously with a
lot of groups and working in the
community for a while now and living in
the community as well something to pay
attention to obviously is the fact that
you know there may be lots more people
coming to visit but the reality is that
these communities need more people to
live here if we want the school to
survive and be viable which is really
what you know people wanting to move
here one of the things we look at our
schools and then of course maintain that
viability for people who already live
here
that's you know that's something that
needs to be paid attention to
you hit that school age population
trends right now aren't great per here
even as lots of people you know more
cars are on the road and or and you know
the stress on the infrastructure is
increasing so again it's the opportunity
to think about how to use that increased
numbers of people coming to benefit
things that are for the community like
like the schools and you know the people
living here I do think it only needs to
be negative at all but the school's deal
with that that some of the schools deal
with the population side for something
to be a dealing have a gorilla student
body and that's something for them can
you
I think that I think in here the
conference plan I think it's awesome but
even where the same that you read okay
what's up and what I would encourage
this room to do is find something that's
really desirable it's it's this bottle
it's in front of me I think if we're
gonna move forward as four times we need
something that's really concrete get it
yeah and then you know sound thinks I'm
kind of to it but I think that gets the
ball rolling nobody set back with a
couple of things you know we've gained a
purchasing agreement we had a blanket we
have school then I think we could go set
further back and go to the resources
they're saying they say they say they
help us okay okay look at this community
we're a model we are in front of people
help us get to the next step
help us you know we're already better
than the rest but help us we've really
bad and the Restless let's suck the rest
along that's really encourage us to do
something very concrete not know it
feels good we'll get there take five
years expected tonight fine point it
wasn't saying that that's that point to
say let's address that only only thing
that's all we're gonna do the point is
that's another argument for all of this
work that's other argument for starting
with a concrete thing because you know
the school board can't do it alone
either
no they can't provide affordable housing
and places people to live in roads you
know they they they can focus on the
quality of the illusion it's not the
only thing that's gonna get people to
move here and stay so yeah there are you
for it so it's another argument for what
you're saying which is watch before the
ramen and another thing is what people
have appeared for jobs absolutely yep
how many of our own kids don't live
around because there's nothing for them
to do
I mean that's how do we get industrial
you come in here yeah make it happen
yeah so that's that's another of the
sort of larger we work towards us over
time and in this in in a in a for town
regional plan type of situation you know
we could focus on how to get some more
help in the world of economic
development because it's there are
resources out there you know that
they're not they're not built into your
infrastructure right now it's it's the
kind of thing to aspire towards and work
towards and try to get some help on that
what we really need to bring young
families to the areas bark up the area
building schools no it's broken and I
know that every time I'd say well you
know yeah it's a nice thing smart house
we don't everybody committing those but
really what will bring people here is
the recreation the lifestyle the
surroundings that we have and they can
work somewhere else they can work
Baltimore st. Louis or somewhere while
sitting in their house so there's a lot
of information from another state he's
really raising raising ponds to be able
to bring money around for
roll-off brother I think that's
something we need to learn more about
the inspector and assured that she's
gone to all of you it's a real hero on
that you got broadband force on you and
you just passed this line between the
town office in the fire department it's
one of the things that will happen in
fact you talk about industry there Jerry
we need some industry but being able to
function in this city format but not
have instruction for the businesses
manufactured they take one more you
don't yeah and also proves the age group
that is looking to live in places like
this and work remotely maybe 95 days up
here two days back in Massachusetts or
maybe how we just other people who still
have who already have a connection here
that would spend more time here more
resources here the reality is that the
people who have that
don't understand not having they think
it's like air and water I'm not hearing
the real estate agents aren't even
concerned it's not even on their condo
paperwork and so the people that buy
from my students I'm kind of surprised
so I as a manager straighter I really
like here collectively from everybody
hey here's some projects I want you guys
all collectively work together and we'll
get back and come in at a future meeting
whether it's you know regionalizing
trash which would be talking about for
four years or it's you know joint
purchasing and I think that's a great
idea every other community ever works
and is doing that and has been doing
that for a decade or more so you know
and they they capitalize on the school
you know paper thing on paper they're
using at this school and we could be
purchasing at the same rate and we're
not think about the heating oil think
about gasoline or diesel if we had the
school get a tank and everybody came
here to get their diesel we're buying a
rack rate be spending a lot of money so
there are ways for us to do this and I
think that it's great that we're having
a conversation but I believe here I want
to know that hey you want Loretta
Kim Amy and burn to work on these come
back with some numbers in four months
and we can talk about you know getting
into either an interlocal agreement
about it or just a purchasing agreement
or something so that we have something
concrete to go back to I know Josh makes
total sense of the impact everybody you
take it
they're trash we open five days a week
and having it open so that hey I have
trash at my house today any suggestions
in terms of get some things for the
managers and they can reach out for
support - from others on our team here
but to dig into start researching and
look ahead to how many months out to
maybe come back together again and
evaluate together and begin figuring out
how to move forward on some of those
first concrete steps I'm excited I can
almost touch it
I think town managers whatever your
title bids come together sit down they
can draw from we know what we we burn we
know what we use pull that together in a
spreadsheet by town take a look at what
it is in the gallons okay I can talk to
David
make sure you know on the school
districts I'd throw out a half until I
love an old conversation and run that
past in and we can throw that in it'd be
interesting to see with that data
our data comes out as and then what we
can do with it I'm a data-driven guy
here and there in items to besides fuel
there was talk of thieving I think I
think that's the town managers come
together make that list they all know
what we do I don't want to micromanage
you the selectmen come together make a
list they may ask us what do you think
Ronnie and so when should when should we
meet again where we talked about solid
waste yeah yeah so we can we talk about
solid way so we talked about hey guys
I'm back my initial comments you know
what else so some purchase a person will
go to solidly said okay
[Laughter]
you know fuel whether or not it's number
two a diesel it could be anything mortal
world where do you buy more roll from
gallons both delivery those things
that's tires and I love the pike prices
against whether the year buying it will
be interesting to see that time you're
hearing and it's a lot it's a lot to
digest and I'm not sure as individual
words have talked about it after after
you know even going to the summit the
destination academies and see where they
can what they think they can bring to
the table area they can help with how
they can prioritize when you community
stronger it's a lot to take in
I don't know how fast you crawl right
now so my suggestion would be to go
through this meat meat again and say
three months maybe I know there's a lot
of meetings coming up for certain things
in such amounts but so maybe about three
months or so ish and take that time you
know this doesn't commit you into
anything
at this point except saying we were
gonna look at the numbers and use that
time in between now and the next meeting
to gather the data of course the next
meeting will be about evaluating it and
analyzing it but at the same time in
that interim that would be time for each
of your boards and visually to do some
of that digesting do some of that
talking look through some of the
materials and also the leadership team
or maybe I should just say I speak for
myself and maybe others will help me but
you know I'd be happy to pull up some of
those other possible resources going
forward just so we begin to have them on
hand and perhaps even some of the other
stories or you know how other region has
done this to just prompt the how to as
as a possibility and so then when you
meet again when you come back together
you can begin to analyze the data and
you'll be that much further ahead and
your thinking and processing about what
now you know and that what pace that
would be my suggestion and I don't know
if that answers your speaks to your
concern or answers it because enough
time to kind of works for me let me I
didn't even come back soon we confront
I think what we're allowing time for
though in the interim and between is the
combination of the gathering the data
that kind of thing so what Michelle is
talking about that time to me as
individual boards and just kind of
process all this stuff take it in talk
about it
after your own amongst ourselves before
so I understand it would be the main
category be purchasing and so what's the
what's the homework on solid waste try
town in a moment
we copy that we have expired in 2005 so
we would to just me look to upgrade that
agreement look where there have been
rubbing points is everybody defining
construction based opinions everybody
you know what findings the same way
[Music]
I guess you could talk about whether or
not we've come together to be able to
use either of these times so once you
have the basic down they did it for
insurance purposes he journeys one you
know that was a case that's what makes
the cable telomers insurance handout
about there that shows the way we could
work together again is mutual aid
something that needs to go on the list
okay so do we want to actually look at
scheduling a time so we get all the
books to come back together
yeah the agenda we're doing this stuff
hearing back from each town what you
sort of hashed out yourself with your
own
once going twice
[Laughter]
and just so you all know I'm not
available that night but someone else
could facilitate if you want to make
sure you have a facilitator with a VSO
not just that we sent out to like st.
David so you can see yeah there's a
combination of minutes yeah so we're we
have stopped here to do minutes just
because well you know
and then what I can do also as I could
pull out of that and my scratch and
scratches to a synopsis that's a little
bit not the full minutes but where
things arrived so any other final
comments because I think I think we can
wrap up this I just want to say thank
you everybody this is really nice the
road was bought this ideas and opinions
and screw